Apparently this link is only good in the US (a pox on all region-locking), but if you haven't yet seen Kiyoshi Kobayashi's final outing/sendoff as Jigen, TMS has temporarily put it up on YouTube.
Lupin III: Part 6, Episode 0 — “The Times” (“Jidai”)
Some of my animations from Jidai, the short that we did for Manga Barcelona (comic con).
Algunas de mis animaciones para Jidai, el corto que hemos hecho para Manga Barcelona.
You can see the full short here / podéis ver el corto aquí: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPHKl7IYxsg
Fun Trivia : Did you know that Osaka Castle was black?
It was built by the real Taiko, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, before it was destroyed and reconstructed into a white castle by Tokugawa Ieyasu. After the death of the "dictator" Oda Nobunaga, Hideyoshi constructed impressive castles like Osaka to herald his new position.
Castles that were built during Hideyoshi's reign like Hiroshima, Okayama and Matsumoto are black. Castles built during Tokugawa's reign like Hikone, Himeji and Nagoya are white. So when you see a castle on your next trip to Japan, you can guess who built it. 😉
The differences in color is due to the resources availability at the time, as white plastering were more expensive than black lacquered timber, so it is of no surprise that Tokugawa later used white for his castles as a symbol of wealth and power.
You can read more from the book, Samurai Castles by Jennifer Mitchelhill which share the history of Japanese castles, from its designs, architectures, layouts, significance and legends, coupled with wonderful photos of the castles by David Green.
Question for Lupin people: does anyone know the name of the Yuji Ohno track that plays when the gang is drinking together in p6e0 “The Times”? It sounds like maybe a variation of “On the Sunny Street” but I'm not certain.
Tomoe Gozen (巴 御前) (1157–1247); was a late twelfth-century female samurai warrior known for her bravery and strength. She is believed to have fought in and survived the Genpei War. She was also the concubine of Minamoto no Yoshinaka. According to one historical account, Tomoe was beautiful, with white skin, long hair, and charming features. She was also a remarkably strong archer, and as a swordswoman, she was a warrior worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a god, mounted or on foot. She handled unbroken horses with superb skill; she rode unscathed down perilous descents. Whenever a battle was imminent, Yoshinaka sent her out as his first captain, equipped with strong armour, an oversized sword, and a mighty bow; and she performed more deeds of valour than any of his other warriors (The Tale of the Heike).
Yasuke - the African Samurai
One of the most fascinating historical figures of all time imo; a former-slave (likely) from Mozambique who was sent to Japan by Portuguese Jesuits and became a retainer under Oda Nobunaga. What a story!
I hope you guys enjoy